Feed the Cat

This is from my friend, Suzanne. We went on a humanitarian trip to Ukraine together. She is such a neat person...this clip is only one of the reasons we really understood each other.

P.S. The cat in this clip is Fritz. The only change I would make is that if he really gets upset he jumps up and turns on the bedroom lights. (seriously, no joke)

Stormy Weather

Apocalypse weather. You know the kind of day where the sun doesn't shine and the wind will blow, but then there is this eerie silence when it is so still outside that you can hear yourself breathing....well, that's today.

My friend, Denise, calls it tornado weather. I've never lived in the Midwest, but apparently the stillness is cause for alarm on days like today. The funny thing is that is feels far too cold for a big storm. I think that is why the day has had such a mysterious-ness to it. Oh, and I've had that Shaun Colvin song running through my head for TWO days..."Sunny came home with a mission"--Yeah, she came home to burn the place to the ground. Hum. Maybe I should up the dose on the old Lexapro (ha.ha.ha.)

Here's another weird thing. My dreams. I (as a general rule) do not dream. I lay down and crash. Jeff usually does all the psychotic dreaming that this family needs (ask him about falling out of bed). However, this past week I have been out of control. In fact, for the past two nights my dreams have been so vivid that I have been able to sit up in bed and wonder if they really happened. Two nights ago I seriously dreamed that Michael Scott (yes, Steve Carrell from The Office) came to the house to help me clean out the litter boxes. It was so real that I remember being seriously alarmed when I watched him start to use my good eyebrow tweezers to pick the "chunks" out of the litter box. He had a garbage bag slung over his shoulder like Santa Claus and he was cleaning them out piece by piece. The worst part was that I realized that the litter wasn't just contained in the box...it was strewn all over the basement in little tiny piles and Mr. Scott just kept commenting on how there was a lot of work to be done.

Okay, you can wipe your tears from laughter now because I woke up from my dream by laughing out loud. It was so hard to even have to explain to Jeff why I was laughing. Although, he didn't really laugh he just said, "Well, all it means is that you better get down to the basement and get the cat poopers cleaned up." So much for helping me to analyze THAT one.

Which reminds me that I never relayed this dream to Susie--I should have done that. I was just over at her house, but I wasn't thinking about my recent neurosis. Perhaps I should just leave it open to you (fellow readers). I'm sure that there are many of you who tune in weekly for your dose of Jim and Pam.

A 40-Hour Week

I'm really behind at work. uuggh. Is it possible to do 40-hours worth of work in the next two days, take care of the children, cook meals/clean house, exercise and still have a smile on my face??? Okay, is it possible to work 40-hours in the next two days? no. And if you have any questions about how my house cleaning is faring...well, check out this pile of laundry...

Yeah, there's a couch under there---and not only that, there are still about 5 loads that aren't even washed yet. I haven't been able to bring myself to start folding it because I know that I will be there for at least an hour. I can always seem to think of a million other things that I can do in an hours time. Oh, well, it's not like I've got a bunch of people coming over who will need a place to sit down. (how's that for justification?).

Earlier this week, Jeff sent me a NY Times article about international adoption and we also had some correspondence with Y Baby (who was in the same orphanage with Lachlan). I have to admit that I haven't thought about the reasons we adopted her for a very long time. After a lot of reflection, I'm surprised at how I simply accept the fact that she is our daughter. I really haven't had any time to think about her "past life". I've wondered often this week about what her birthmother looks like--I get so many comments about how Jack looks like me, and I wonder if she looks like her mother. Where are they? What are they doing? Do they think about her, or is their life simply a daily battle with survival? It very well could be...

The SLTribune had a week long series on the struggles of Chinese workers. The high cost of cheap products...something I used to teach about in my former life. How ironic that I shop on a weekly basis at Walmart and other discount stores--which, rarely showcase anything other than products made in developing countries--oh, there really is a cost for buying cheap. I hope that somewhere somehow Lachlan's parents have been able to make peace with their decisions. My heart would break if I thought that they are haunted by her...may there be some mercy for them. In the same regard, I pray for mercy on her future struggles. I hope that she will continue to be the resilient child we have come to know--that she will be able to put everything in the proper perspective.

I hope that as a mother I can do a good job of keeping her past and present in the proper perspective. It is so easy to just go through the motions of seeing that every one's physical needs are met. It is much more difficult to consider the emotional and mental aspects of life. Especially when Lachlan's are so specialized to a time and place of existence that I have never experienced on a personal level.

Hum, I'm not really sure where this one-sided conversation ends...maybe I'll have more to say after I fold all of the laundry.

The Hallow's Eve

Jack, the Red Hot Chili Pepper

Lachlan, a "bock, bock" (also known as a chicken).

Post Script

I wish I knew how to get this to post at the actual end of this post....

Erica, I got your message from Indianapolis...I warned you about the books. I'm so proud that you are still one of us. You can read them twice (you will anyway), but stay away from the chat rooms and message boards. No good can possibly come from that :) ha.ha.ha.

AND, this picture of Jack and Ernie trying to get the tub to work reminded me that the cats had their annual physical this week. All are doing well, Ernie weighed in at 13 pounds; Fritz @ 12 pounds; and Bruce a whopping 16 pounds. Dr. H remined me again of Bruce's severe weight problem (uuggh. It is very hard to stop a cat from eating everything in sight). I tried to explain that I didn't think it was a weight problem--that he was just big boned. Dr. H just gave me the eyebrow lift and recommended that all of the cats should have their teeth cleaned in February. I scheduled the appointment as a medical compromise. Besides, it is way better to pay to have someone else clean their teeth once a year, rather than trying to do it on your own. Even crazy people have to draw the line somewhere.

Oh, Sugar, you are my friend

My first batch...carmel, dark chocolate with toasted walnuts and toasted coconut. I had to put them on the back porch to cool them quickly because my chocolate was so smooth it didn't want to stick to the carmel (especially with the weight of the nuts and coconut).

I only used a few Rome apples. They were a little too tart for the carmel, white chocolate and cinnamon sugar. The Crispins were the overall favorite (and incidentally, also recommended by the food network). The best part is that we were able to get ours directly from the local Paradise orchard. The kids had a ball seeing the farm!

The white chocolate is very easy to work with because it is so thick and easily sticks to the carmel. Also, very, very, very tasty.

The dark chocolate creations were the favorites for all adults. Kids tended to like the super sweet chocolate laced with sugar. I loved the white chocolate apples, but I actually licked the stick of one of the dark chocolate vareties.

Just for the record, tomorrow I will be wearing my black stretch pants...and I won't even care.

Jack Gets A Tooth...

Jack proudly displays his new tooth.

Jack gets a tooth....and Mom gets tired, depressed and then very hungry for something sweet...and thus, begins the cycle of up five pounds, down five pounds, up five pounds, down five pounds.

In all seriousness, I was totally off of sugar last month. I cut out all hydrogenated oils, white flour, sugar (anything over 4 grams)--I even started training for my 10K next spring,(feeling so great!) BUT last week I took a huge nose dive when Jack started cutting these teeth (top, front two). He is normally such a wonderfully smiley, happy-go-lucky baby. And I have KNOWN that this is the one thing that is keeping me a sane individual--and I discovered that I was MORE than right. He screamed, and screamed, and wouldn't take his naps, or even sleep more than two hours in the night...and screamed the rest of the night for FOUR days.

It was so hard. People tell you that teething is rough. I absolutely had NO IDEA that it was going to be one of the definingly difficult things of my life. The worst is that there really isn't anything you can do for them. You just hold them and rock them and pray that they will go to sleep...and then you threaten to destroy (with fire) anyone who even breathes in their direction. I even tried to get him to sleep with us in our bed and he just was ballistic--aauuggh. It was a bad deal.

The other thing that I learned about myself is that when I get tired and overly frustrated I am so easily prone to get depressed. I think that it is mostly because these are things that I cannot control. And I LOVE to be in control (or at least think that I am). I couldn't even make myself get on the treadmill. I just wanted to sit around and be sad with Jack. The next thing I know, I'm having white bread toast with cinnamon sugar with a side of Trix (thank heavens, I hadn't opened up the bag of Cocoa Puffs!)

At any rate, Jack finally sprouted himself a beautiful tooth. I couldn't be more proud. He also returned to his normal, albeit fantastic disposition. I, however, took a bit longer to call off the pity party. I chowed my way through a variety of soda drinks, more white bread and pasta and real bacon while visiting Grandma Carver this weekend. I also learned (thank you to Aunt Pat) how to make these outstanding candy/carmel apples. (See posting above) I've always wanted to learn and I was just hungry enough for sweets to take on the challenge. They weren't difficult (to make or eat)- and 5 or 6 apples later I feel like I'm ready to get back on the wagon (tomorrow, of course). Not to mention, they look like I SLAVED away for hours in the kitchen--I gave many of them away to neighbors and friends and they were completely in awe.

Is this lame?

Okay, other blogger friends who have been "tagging" me...this is for you. As much as I enjoy reading your tags, I am a-feared that this is a wee bit lame.

And once you read this you will see that I am the lame-o.
Four things you never knew--and perhaps, never will...

What I was doing 5 years ago

• Finishing my master's degree at Utah State University
• Traveled through the Puget Sound, Northwestern Washington and Seattle with Jeff
• Moved twice in the same year
• Fritz and Ernst came to live with us
• Learned to Telemark/Alpine Ski--Jeff is a fabulous teacher! Goodbye snowboard forever.

Movies I can watch over and over

• Field of Dreams
• The Bourne Identity, Supremacy & Ultimatum
• In Her Shoes
• The Holiday
• The Lord of the Rings Series

Things I Will Never Wear Again

• Units...If you don't remember you can thank the sweet Lord.
• Neon colors
• Braces, Headgear & Retainers
• A size 6 and/or a B-cup. Okay, so it was the 8th grade when I wore this size...but still
• Gigantic hairbows made of lace, ribbons, balloons and/or pom-poms

Guilty Pleasures

• Dark Chocolate. Anything under 60% isn't worth my time. Oh, and throw a few espresso beans in there while you're at it.
• A whole tub of popcorn at the movie theater
• Grey's Anatomy with the girls on Thursday nights (I love you Carrie)
• Hiding in the bathroom with the door locked and the fan on (to fake out Jeff), while I finish the last few chapters of Eclipse...sooo, worth it.
• A two hour nap on a Sunday afternoon

Shows I Enjoy

• The Closer
• The Office
• The Biggest Loser
• Iron Chef/Diner, Drive-Ins & Dives/Ace of Cakes/Paula Deen
• Animal Planet/The Dog Whisperer

Secretly I Wish I Could

• Play the guitar
• Sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or backup for Dolly Parton/Reba McEntire
• Hit a massively powerful tennis serve
• Run a full-service equestrian center...the arenas, stables, oh, it would be so fun...
• Read other people's thoughts

Favorite Foods

• Sushi...spicy tuna rolls. Anything with avocado, shrimp, crab, tuna and/or salmon
• Lemongrass chicken with noodles and Vietnamese spring rolls
• Korean BBQ (when Jeff makes it)
• Spinach stuffed ravioli with spicy marinara
• Good bread. Artisan stuff with Kalamata olives and/or sun-dried tomato tapenade.

Bad Habits

• Wicked temper
• Nail picker...they are jewels not tools.
• Swearing
• Impatient
• Grind my teeth (hum, can't you just get a fabulous visual of the mean old broad who is swearing, tapping her toe and grinding her teeth)

Songs I Know the Lyrics to

• 9-to-5 & Islands in the Stream: Dolly Parton
• Montana Skies: John Denver
• Fly Me to the Moon: Frank Sinatra
• Since you Been Gone: Kelly Clarkson
• American Pie: Don Henley

Random Trival Items You May Not Know

• I've been driving since I was 10 years old
• I really like big dogs. I would love to have a Great Dane someday. Of course, it will have to be after Jeff dies...I still get the SLC Rescue newsletter anyway, just in case.
• I would like to see John Edwards get the Democratic nomination, but I think that it is going to Hillary...and I'm going to vote for her. I'm praying that she will take Edwards as her Vice. I would rather DIE than vote for Mitt Romney.
• Every once in a while I just HAVE to have a McDonalds cheeseburger.
• I can't stand R&B music. I've tried...it just isn't in me.

Only Eat the White Snow

Yeah, this is Jack having his first taste of snow. This is near the top of Swan Flats. There was only about 6 inches of snow, but it was exciting to get a feel for the upcoming season.

A family shot...but not quite Christmas card material. :)

Some comfort from dad.

My new favorite picture. She does have pants on...but I'm surprised how well the camouflage really works! She was so proud of carrying that stick. When she walked by herself she looked a lot like Yoda. She even has the little wobble/hobble walk down perfectly.

Overlooking Beaver Mountain Ski Resort.

This remarkable contrast was breathtaking!

A dirt road in Card Canyon. I've only ever been cross-country skiing in this canyon. I had never seen it in the fall. I took some family pictures of the Miners...they are so neat, but I promised Susie that I wouldn't reveal them on the blog. Sorry.